After a recent expedition to Chile with The Nature Conservancy, I returned home reflecting on a global truth: public lands are political. Whether it’s South America or South Carolina, land conservation stirs up a lot of passion. For many people it’s complexity can also lead to quite a bit of debate. For years, I’ve avoided […]
Parks Role in the Sestercentennial
“Parks protect the land, but just as importantly, they protect the stories that shaped our nation.” My good friend and semi-regular co-host Phil Gaines is back to about a big celebration coming up. You may know Phil as the retired director of South Carolina State Parks. He’s currently also deep into something incredibly meaningful. He […]
The National Parks Classroom
“I’m going to do something that’s connected to the national parks or our or a state park near me so that I can use my knowledge and see the real world impact it has. And that way, I never am stuck in class asking, why is this important? Why on earth do I have to […]
Rethinking Park Restrooms
“We’ve designed the bathroom to be agnostic to the environment in which it goes. There are certainly other operational considerations the further out you go, but there’s really no fundamental limitation as to where we put a throne.” The days of endless maintenance and poorly maintained facilities might just be behind us. While bathrooms in […]
Dealing With Administrative Change
“You have to be ready because change is constant, and you have to be able to adapt and adjust.” As the retired director of South Carolina State Parks and a current professor at Clemson University, Phil Gaines has wisdom on navigating administrative changes in park systems that is invaluable. Phil joined me to break down the […]
The Role of Philanthropy in Parks
“Nothing gets done without partners. And in fact, it’s way more fun when you get to do it with other people.” Philanthropy is a powerful tool that often goes unnoticed in the world of park management. This week, I had the privilege of diving deep into this crucial topic with Sarah Unz, Vice President of […]
Connecting With Nature in the Classroom
“They’ve done studies observing children in a park. They issue the more organized places like a like a soccer field or basketball court, but the kids always end up on the edges where the trees or the brush is just messing around.” Childhood adventures in nature often shape a lifetime of curiosity and exploration. Yet, […]
The History of Public Lands
“After 43 years of doing this, some things didn’t sound accurate to me. So I started researching this in in order to to put together a program to go out and really explain what the history of these places are and what is fact and what is fiction.” When was the last time you thought […]
Creating a City Level Junior Ranger Program
“Signs don’t do much. It’s the educational programs where you’re actually talking to people that are the most effective in changing behaviors.” Sean Underhill is a park ranger from Prescott, Arizona helping get city-level park programs up and running. He shares insights into their extensive volunteer efforts and a new ranger program that is building […]
Honoring Fallen Park Rangers
“We honor our profession and we’re proud of what we do to remember those that we lost.” Park Rangers often dedicate their life to the preservation of nature. There is another side of the work that is less known; Uncovering the forgotten stories of those who paid the ultimate price. My conversation with Jeff Ohlfs, […]